Oceano Dunes Tourism Dollars Don't Affect You? Think Again.
Two million visitors a year spending tens of millions of dollars, renting thousands of room-nights, eating out, buying goods, supporting hundreds of jobs and businesses. Oceano Dunes brings a greater array of businesses, better businesses, more choices, and is the single largest revenue generator and, perhaps, employer in south San Luis Obispo County. If you own a business, dune dollars reach you—either directly, or by providing income to your customers. It's impossible not to benefit.
A 1993 economic study reveals "Every dollar of Off Highway Vehicle related expenditures spent locally generated approximately $2.00 in total sales. Every million dollars in sales supported approximately 39 full-time jobs in San Luis Obispo County." The study estimates 3,295 full-time equivalent jobs are supported by Oceano Dunes visitation.
In-depth studies have shown repeatedly that Dunes tourism brings as much as $200 million or more annually. The latest study by Dean Runyan and Associates calls Oceano Dunes "a key attraction", one of only two they identify in SLO County (Hearst Castle being the other at only one-third the attendance).
Dean Runyan and Associates finds that South County tourism accounts for "for nearly one-third of all travel spending within the county (32% or $359 million)"—far more than any other area of San Luis Obispo county! Park detractors claim much lower figures, however, those claims are fabricated by singling-out spending by travelers staying only at public campgrounds. Actual Oceano Dunes attendance numbers reveal campers comprise only 22% of visitors, leaving 78% of visitors unaccounted for in detractors' claims.
The "non-camping" 78% spend far more than beach campers as they are renting tens of thousands of room nights at local hotels, motels, private campgrounds and the multitude of vacation rental homes surrounding Oceano and Pismo Beach.
With its tourism supporting thousands of jobs, Oceano Dunes is the South County's single largest "employer" (except for maybe PG&E). Oceano Dunes is the largest single-entity generator of SLO County tourism dollars.
When asked if Oceano Dunes affects sales, a supervisor at Vons market on Grand Avenue related, laughing, "God yes! We wouldn't be one of the biggest stores in the company without it!"
Here is a quote from a letter signed by the entire Pismo Beach City Council:
"The City of Pismo Beach derives a significant amount of revenue from the visitors drawn to this State Recreation Vehicle Area and much of the City's future economic planning is dependent on the continuation of this State Recreation Vehicle Area and a change of use on the property would adversely impact the economic well being of our City."
The economic prowess of Dunes generated tourism and positive effects in San Luis Obispo county is undebatable.